Jun. 23 – Make a Splash
Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 14, especially within minority communities, as 70% of African American children and 60% of Hispanic children in the U.S. currently do not know how to swim.
Given these statistics, the USA Swimming Foundation is taking steps to educate parents, children and communities about the importance of learning to swim. The foundation’s sixth annual, “Make a Splash” initiative is a national child-focused water safety campaign. Over the years, Make a Splash has provided swim lessons for more than 3 million children nationwide and granted more than $3 million for swim lessons and has more than 700 partners across 50 states.
USA Swimming Gold Medalist Cullen Jones, the first African American male to win a gold medal at the world University Games, nearly drowned at the age of 5 at a water park in Pennsylvania. Following the near-death encounter, his mother enrolled him in swimming training, where he excelled and later became a World Record holder.
Jessica Hardy is one of swimming’s most inspiring comeback stories. After sitting out the 2008 Olympics, Jessica returned to competition in 2009 and set three world records. At the 2012 Olympics she won the bronze and gold medal and is now training for the 2016 Olympic games.
On Friday, June 12, talk with Make a Splash Ambassadors Cullen or Jessica, as they stress the importance of learning how to swim and share important and helpful swimming safety tips, including:
· The “Make a Splash’ initiative
· At what age should children start taking swimming lessons?
· How parents can get swim lessons for their children
· What to do if you, as a parent, do not know how to swim
· Where to find affordable options to learn how to swim in your local area
About USA Swimming Foundation
The USA Swimming Foundation raises funds to support programs that save lives and build champions – in the pool and in life. As the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, the USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen the sport from grassroots to gold medals. If your child cannot swim or you would like to help others learn this critical life-saving skill, visit www.MakeaSplash.org to find a local partner with swim lessons.
